Neoblakea is characterized by its slender shrubby habit; its paired leaves with small, interpetiolar, 3-lobed stipules that are deciduous generally before the leaves fall off; its cymose inflorescences that are borne on rather short axillary branches and apparently have glandular bracts; its flowers with 5 calyx lobes, corolla lobes, and stamens; the small, funnelform, white corollas with the lobes imbricated in bud; and the small indehiscent, rather corky fruits with 3-4 locules, each with single seed. This genus is poorly known, and comprised only one species from northern Venezuela until recently, when a second species from coastal Ecuador was described. The relationships of this species are not yet clear, but have been postulated to be with Guettardeae and the morphological characters agree with that group (Taylor & Gereau 2010).

In a number of its morphological characters, its general aspect, and its habitat in seasonal vegetation, Neoblakea is similar to Machaonia; Machaonia differs in its triangular or 2-lobed stipules, eglandular bracts, and fruits that are either schizocarpous or indehiscent and smaroid with enlarged calyx lobes. In general aspect Neoblakea also resembles Deppea, which has 4-merous flowers and generally dehiscent capsular fruits with numerous seeds. The stipules of Neoblakea are distinctive in form, with a relatively long central lobe flanked by two smaller lobes on each side, and the glandular bracts are distinctive.

C.M. Taylor III 2012

Distribution:
Two species of low elevations, 0-600 m, one in coastal northwestern Venezuela and the other in coastal western Ecuador.